If it's true that some losses sting more than others, then the Cincinnati Bengals are undoubtedly experiencing a tremendous amount of pain and heartache right now.
Despite jaw-dropping numbers from quarterback Joe Burrow (428 yards and four touchdowns) and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (11 receptions, 264 yards, and three scores), the Bengals still managed to fall one point shy against division rival Baltimore on Thursday night, losing 35-34 after failing to convert on a two-point conversion with less than two minutes remaining.
In many respects, these results are a microcosm of the Bengals' season. At this point, Cincinnati has been one of the most impressive teams in the NFL from a statistical standpoint.
After last night's contest, Burrow is currently No. 1 in the league in passing yards (2,672) and tied for the most passing touchdowns (24). Additionally, Chase is putting together his best season as a professional, as he currently leads the league in all three of the major receiving categories (receptions, yards, and touchdowns).
And Cincinnati's impressive individual performances aren't limited to just the offense. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson currently sits atop the league leaderboard in sacks (11), while linebacker Logan Wilson ties for second in total tackles (96).
Yet even with a plethora of impressive statistical outputs from individual players, Cincinnati still finds itself with a 4-6 record and is facing an uphill battle to make it into the playoffs.
In sports, in general, having impressive statistics doesn't amount to much if a team isn't getting it done where it matters most: on the scoreboard.
As followers of Jesus living in a sinful world, a message telling us that we need to "increase our stats" constantly bombards us. Everywhere we turn, someone tells us that we need to increase our financial portfolio, obtain bigger and better possessions, and grind our way to success professionally.
The unspoken assumption baked into this messaging is that having "big stats" in these areas will lead to our flourishing.
But to embrace that message is to ignore what the Bible says about how people experience true joy and lasting satisfaction in this life.
In Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV), the Lord rebukes His people by saying, "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."
This passage clarifies that God alone is the fountain of living waters. He is the only One somebody can turn to for lasting peace, joy, and contentment.
However, many people in Israel turned away from God and tried to find living water by other means. But at the end of the day, the cisterns they attempted to build for themselves were broken, and they held no water.
Unfortunately, this is a pattern that still plagues many people today.
Rather than turning to God to find complete satisfaction, meaning, and purpose, multitudes of people in our modern society are building their own cisterns, desperately hoping that money, possessions, success, or fame will give them what their hearts desire.
But just like the Israelites discovered thousands of years ago, these pursuits ultimately lead nowhere.
As believers, we must never forget that the most crucial thing in life is being in the right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Personal accomplishments and worldly successes might lead to impressive "stats" in the eyes of our culture, but they do not benefit a person where it matters most.
Proverbs 11:4 (LSB) says, "Wealth will not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness will deliver from death."
Today, let's resist the temptation to think and act like the culture around us. Let's focus on what truly matters most: scorning temporary "stats" to abide in God's lasting joy and satisfaction alone.
I'm Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that I have everything that I truly need in You. Please help me not get caught up in worldly pursuits but find lasting contentment and satisfaction in my relationship with You alone. Thank you for Your kindness and goodness towards me. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
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